MONROE, La. – Senior midfielder Rachel Grout scored two first-half goals to lead Texas State to a 3-0 victory over ULM Friday, Oct. 13, as the Bobcats became the first conference team to secure a berth in the Sun Belt Soccer Tournament. Texas State (8-4-1, 6-1 Sun Belt) tied its school record by recording its fifth-straight shutout win.
 
The Bobcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute as senior Brooke Ramsey sent in a corner kick from the right side; the ball bounced past a UML defender to freshman Holly Streber, who delivered a short pass to senior Kassi Hormuth, who scored on a shot into the lower right corner of the net.
 
Grout scored her first goal of the match early in the 17th minute. After ULM failed to clear, Hormuth started the scoring sequence with a pass back to junior Jamie Brown, who sent a long ball into the box that bounced over two players to Grout, who was positioned on the back post and deposited it into the open net.
 
Late in the 38th minute, Grout closed out the scoring with her second goal. Freshman Renny Moore sent in a cross that deflected off a ULM defender to Grout, who buried a shot into the back of the net.
 
Despite allowing three first-half goals, ULM head coach Keyton Wheelock was proud of the way her team competed in the second half.
 
"They battled through it in the second half," Wheelock said. "They could have easily packed up shop, but they didn't. They worked hard for 90 minutes."
 
The Bobcats out-shot ULM, 11-1, in the first half and 16-3 in the match. Texas State also held the advantage in corner kicks, 6-1.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Heather Martin made one second-half save to record her fifth-consecutive shutout. ULM junior goalkeeper Brooke-Lynn Scroggins faced seven shots and registered four saves, including three stops in the second half.
 
Senior defender Randi Lundquist tallied ULM's only shot on goal.
 
ULM (2-12-1, 2-5 Sun Belt) plays its final home match of the season on Sunday, Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. against Arkansas State. The Warhawk seniors will be recognized in a special pregame ceremony.
 
"We take it one game at a time," Wheelock said. "I now have two games worth of film to watch. We will recover and get back at it on Senior Day."